No Place That Far

by finallyxfound

ANGELCHARMED CROSSOVER. POSTYOU'RE WELCOME ANGEL S5EPISODE IS TOYED WITH AND CORDELIA DOESN'T END UP DEAD, BUT TAKING A DIFFERENT ROAD THEN EXPECTED.

3. Three

PART THREE

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
CHARLES GUNN'S OFFICE

Charles Gunn sat there in his office, marking and reading over the legal documents that were in Angel's office. Rubbing his head, he relieved the pound of pressure throbbing in the back by stroking the base of his neck. This was getting to be too much. The legal proceedings, the board meetings day in and day out, just too much. He opened his eyes back up and was greeted by a beautiful face: Paige Halliwell.
"Hey, how did you get in?"
"Well, I kind of do have a power called orbing."
"Oh yeah." He smirked, remembering that part about her. "So what brings you here to the lovely city of Los Angeles? More specifically, why Wolfram & Hart?"
"I needed to talk to you."
"What about?" Gunn leaned back in his chair as Paige took one of the ones in front of the desk.
"Cordelia." Paige paused and started again, knowing that Wesley probably knew her better, but she felt more comfortable talking to Gunn.
"What's wrong?"
"Everything." She panicked. "Angel and her have made contact. But as to be expected, she's still hurting. Last night, her and Angel had a fight. I mean big, big, big fight. I mean crying, lashing out fight."
"Paige, you wanna give me the details?"
"Okay, I'll try. I mean, the most I can decipher from her tear drenched words were, Fruitopia® and pajamas. I think that when they got home after the attack they..."
"Attack?!?"
"Yeah, Cordelia and Angel helped us vanquish a demon. Anyhow, they went back to her apartment and I guessed tried to talk. All in all, she ended up behind her door, crying in a huddled position while Angel was standing on the opposite side, holding sheets and a pillow."
"She kicked him out?"
"Not technically, but yeah. What can we do? I'm tired of waiting for them to come to their senses."
"Me too. But we need to let them work this out for themselves."
"How long is that going to take?" Paige got up out of the chair and started to pace, worried about her new friend. Gunn got up from behind his desk and went to her.
"Look, all we can do it wait."
"Wait for what? For them to get more stubborn so they end up hating each other?" Paige flew her arms up in the air. Gunn took a hold of her shoulders and straightened her frame out.
"We have to let them figure it out for themselves, Paige. That's the only thing we can do." He tugged her closer and pulled her into his embrace. "Just be patient."
"I'm trying." She said, muffled into his chest. Looking up at him, he brushed her now brunette hair from her face and revealed the tears that he suspected she was hiding.
"It will be okay. Trust me. I've known Angel and Cordy for a while now and they're both smart enough to come to their senses." He told her letting her go from his arms. "Of course, last time they admitted to something it took them a whole year." He thought aloud, leaning back onto the edge of his desk.
"A year?" Paige asked, shaking her head.
"Mr. Gunn?" Harmony intervened with the conference call.
"Yeah, Harmony?"
"We have a situation in the lobby. Your assistance is needed."
"You coming?" He turned to Paige as he walked towards the door. She followed him knowing that she could probably help somehow. Walking down the hallway and looking over the banister she saw what the commotion was. The Krevlork Demon Clan was causing some ruckus with the peaceful and negotiating Yumba tribe. Gunn's eyes opened wide as he hopped over the banister and Paige orbed down instantly. The Krevlork Demon clan was no stranger to the Halliwell Manor or the Charmed Ones. Their kind had attacked on numerous occasions and had a bounty on Wyatt's head. Looking around for something sharp and pointy, Paige didn't realize that the clan was here for legal proceedings.
"Ah, sword." Paige yelled, telekinetically moving the sword in a young man's hands and into a Krevlork Demon's side, sending the creature down to the ground, agonizing over the pain. That should have vanquished him.
"Paige!" Gunn yelled at her, crouching down beside the demon's side and trying to console it. She ran up next to him, confused why he was trying to help the demon. "Why did you do that?"
"Why isn't he vanquished? Let me see why I did that..." Paige said, continuing, "because he's a Krevlork demon and he's evil. Plus, having a bounty on my nephew's head is pretty serious too. Not to mention a whole other long list of reasons. Would you like me to read them off?" She pointed out.
"He's only here for the contract?" Gunn said while Harmony and another assistant attended to the creature. "Wolfram & Hart is a different kind of law firm, Paige. We deal with all sorts of stuff and demons are one of them. This particular clan is here for a contract hearing." He explained to her after seeing her confused face.
"Oh. Sorry?" Paige added in her own little cute way by wrinkling her nose and smiling up at him. "But that still doesn't explain why that sword didn't vanquish him."
"Magic, Paige. It's magic."
"A Charmed One? How dare you have A Charmed One in our presence!" The head of the Krevlork Clan said, outraged.
"Look, gentlemen, she's not going to harm any of you. She's just here to discuss a family matter. Harmony will escort you into the conference room and Mr. Jameson and your appointed liaison will be right with you." Gunn diverted them as they stared at her.
"Sorry."
"No need to be, Paige. But it's best to say that you may want to get out of here." Gunn suggested.
"That's what I'm thinking. I'll talk to you later." Paige said, orbing back out of the building. Gunn watched as the tiny bubbles disappeared not knowing Lorne & Fred were watching near by. They approached him cautiously, knowing that any sudden movement and he would go bananas. Fred twirled around him, smiling as if she knew something.
Gunn finally reverted his attention to her and asked, "Something you want Fred?"
"Nope."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Looking at your aura." She giggled like she was in high school again with some big secret that was to be kept a secret.
"Wha?"
"She's right, Gunn. Your aura is screaming at me right now." Lorne said, grabbing Fred's hand.
"And what does it say?" Gunn asked, not really wanting to know. He watched Fred and Lorne stroll away. Fred looked back still acting jittery like a school girl and said, "You've got a crush."

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT

Cordelia got up early and when to the butcher's market across the street. She knew that Angel would be staying for a while. She knew he was that stubborn enough to do just that, and drive her crazy. The blood was heating up in the microwave when Angel finally awoke from the night before. Strolling into the kitchen in nothing but his black pants, he startled Cordelia. The microwave beeped to let her know that his morning cup of O-pos was ready.
"Cinnamon?"
"How about sugar?"
"In your blood?" She turned back around from the counter and looked at him sitting at the tiny bistro table.
"I meant from you." He smirked. She smirked back and sprinkled some cinnamon in the cup, mixing it up with the thick blood. Setting it on the table, she knelt down and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you."
"No problem." Cordelia sat across from him and pulled her hair back and took a drink of her black coffee. "So I guess we need to talk."
"Yea." Angel took a deep breath and looked up at her. "We do. But let me start off by apologizing for last night."
"Can I hear that again? Are you saying you're sorry?" Cordelia's face brightened up then, a smile emerging from her mouth. Angel peered his eyes down and she knew it was true. "Can you sign a paper saying that you said you're sorry?"
"Oh, come on. It's not that big of a shock is it?"
"Yes." Cordelia laughed and her smile got bigger, which Angel liked.
"So, what now?"
"Now, we go to work. We can discuss this later at dinner."

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
THE CHASE AGENCY

"Okay, Mrs. Allen. There ya go, you're all set." Cordelia handed the client her receipt and smiled towards the elderly lady.
"No, thank you Miss Chase. You have been a guardian angel." She lady said, turning back to leave the building. Angel came in the office then hoping to continue their conversation from this morning.
"Can we talk?" He asked.
"What about?"
"Cordelia!" Morris barged in breaking up the almost conversation.
"Morris? What is it?"
"We have a situation."
"And that would be..."
"It's Harvick, the new cop. He's being held in a bank downtown." Morris confessed in need of her help.
"Why do you need me?"
"Because you're the only one he listens to."
"But I thought you said he was being held?"
"He is, but the...will you just come?"
"I guess so." Cordelia grabbed her jacket and started to follow Morris when she remembered Angel. "Uh, are going to be alright?"
"I'll manage. Just go and help that guy." He said, catching her on the arm before she turned again. Pulling her into his frame, he brushed his lips against hers and let her go again. She stared back at him, wondering just what the kiss meant. "Be careful." He told her as she went out the door.

Twenty minutes had passed by when Leo, Piper, and Phoebe orbed into the office.
"So? Did you talk to her yet?" Phoebe asked, not waiting a minute to let the dizziness wear off.
"No, she's keeps avoiding me." Angel said, sitting down in Cordelia's chair behind her desk.
"Where is she?" Piper asked looking around the bare office.
"Went with a cop to bail another cop out of something."
"Morris?"
"Yeah, that was his name."
"What did he want exactly?" Leo asked, concerned of what Morris wanted.
"Something about another cop being held or something. Are you guys going to help me with Cordelia or not?"
"We will. What was the cop's name?" Leo persisted.
"I don't know, why is that important?"
"Because your friend Spike called Cordelia with a vision he had of her. Didn't he tell you?"
"Yeah, but he said it had already happened."
"It hasn't. Where were they going?"
"Some bank downtown."
"Alright, let's go."
"Um, guys?" Angel said, alerting them to the sun outside and the vampire within.
"Oh." Leo said stumped.
"Can't we just orb to the sewer system or something?" Piper asked, searching for a way to get Angel there to save her.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
GOLDEN GATE BANK & TRUST

Morris pulled the megaphone up to his mouth and started to speak. "We have the girl. Let the hostages go."
Two shots ranged from inside the bank, alerting the police to the new situation inside the bank. Cordelia stood up behind the police barricade and started to walk towards the entrance. Morris pulled her am back and twirled her around.
"You are not pulling a Prue, Cordelia."
"Watch me." She tugged her arm out of his grip and continued her conquest into the bank where the hold up was.
"Hold your fire!" Morris yelled across the crowd and held up his badge. Cordelia walked across the street and into the bank, not expecting what she saw. Two guys, both in uniforms and one man, with his arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his face.
"Let me guess, this really isn't a heist is it?"
"A smart one. We like that."
"Who's we? And what the hell are you trying to pull off here?" Cordelia asked, looking around the vacant bank for anything to tip her off.
"We are the Order."
"The Order? Sure. Has someone been overindulging in the tequila?"
"We are the Order of Gron. We seek to destroy the Charmed Ones and you are a Charmed One."
"Ha!" Cordelia laughed at them. They really thought this plan would work? "I'm not a Charmed One and if I was do you actually think that I'd be this stupid to fall for this?"
"Well, yeah." The second man said, with his California Surfer accent.
"Wrong." Cordelia said as she walked forward with force, grabbing a hold of the gun and taking it out of the man's hands. Leo, Piper, and Phoebe orbed in then and Piper raised her hands to freeze the culprits. She shook Cordelia out of her freeze mode while Angel popped out of the back. Running to get her like a running back going to catch the football, she fell to the ground, surrounded by his being.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said waiting for him to get up but he didn't. "Can you get up off of me now?"
"Oh, sorry." Angel got up off the ground and reached for her, making sure she was okay.
"Angel, I'm fine. What are you guys doing here?"
"This was Spike's vision right?" Phoebe asked.
"How did?"
"Never mind that. Let's just vanquish him." Phoebe added avoiding Cordelia's question.
"You can't Phoebe. He's human." Cordelia explained. "Would you guys just get out of here? I can handle it."
"Are you sure?" Leo asked, hoping she knew what she was doing.
"I'm sure." She replied as Leo, Piper and Phoebe orbed back out of the building. Angel stayed behind, waiting for a cue from Cordelia. "And you're still here because?"
"Like it or not, I'm here to stay. So, as you are so famous for saying: Deal." Angel got defensive and snapped at her. The men started to move signaling that Piper's freezing mechanism had worn off.
"Where did he come from?" The first man said, pointing at Angel.
"Nowhere. Why don't we finish this?"
"Of course." The man flew high in the air and came at Cordelia, with a vengeance for a kill. Cordelia ran out of the way and maneuvered around the second man. Grabbing his gun and pointing it at his temple, she felt a boost of energy coming on.
"You want to lose him?" The man in the air looked down at her. Angel then decided to make his move, taking a hold of the flying man's ankle and swinging him around the bank. Letting him go, the man crashed through the glass exposing the sunlight from outside. Angel jumped back and Cordelia came into the picture with the other man and the gun still pointed at his head. Morris came and took the delinquents out of their hands. Cordelia looked over at Angel and gave him a half-hearted smile.
"That's what the danger was?" Cordelia rolled her eyes and let go of the man, letting him fall to the ground. The uniforms came to cuff him and Angel went after Cordelia. "Will the powers ever get a clue? And this definitely isn't a pink house!"

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
THE HALLIWELL MANOR

"Hey, where have you guys been?" Paige looked up from Chris' crib to the three humans coming up the stairs. The three looked exhausted and Phoebe's moan was Paige's signal of don't ask. Turning off the light and grabbing the baby monitor, she followed them up the stairs to the attic. Piper and Leo sat down on the old sofa and Phoebe went behind the Book to see about this order that was targeting them.
"Is anyone gonna give me anything?"
"Ever hear of The Order of Gron?"
"No, why?"
"Because Cordelia was caught in the crossfire with them. They thought she was one of us." Phoebe explained alerting Paige to the situation.
"And you guys just left me out of this?"
"You were unreachable, Paige. Plus Cordelia and Angel had it under control." Piper waved her hand about and leaned her head on Leo's shoulders.
"Where are they now?" Paige asked, placing the baby monitor on the side table and sitting down on the chair close to Phoebe.
"We hope back at her place doing the dirty." Phoebe said aloud. She looked at her family giving her the looks. "What? It's not like all you weren't thinking it."

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT

Cordelia held on to the cup of coffee that Angel had made for her. Picking up her legs and sitting down again on the couch, Angel slipped off her shoes and socks staring at her tiny toes. He smirked remembering her inferiority complex with her feet. She always dwelled on the fact that her toes were to tiny and her feet were humongous.
"What's that about?" She set the mug down on the coffee table.
"What?"
"Your smile." She smiled over at him, leaning her head back on the cushion.
"Oh, nothing."
"Yea right. Whatever it is, you should do it more often." She closed her eyes and wiggled her toes in front of him, almost begging him to touch the phalanges. His hand wrapped around her sole and started to massage her arch. He looked over at her, her eyes were still closed and she looked to be resting.
"Cordelia?"
"Hmmm?"
"I'm going to talk now." He took a breath of air in, not really needing it and kept massaging her foot. "I don't know what happened between us, but I know that I still care about you. You are going to have to face this...this...ordeal someday. And I'm tried of waiting, I just want..."
"What do you want Angel?" Cordelia emphasized.
"You." Angel looked over at her, her hazel eyes glowing with a desire to do something that he couldn't give her. "I know I can't give you all that you want or need but I want you to know that..." Before he could finish what he was saying, she leaned up and pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss was deep and true, something he hadn't experienced in a while. The last good kiss he had was with her. During the time that he had been without her, he had had many flings with Nina the werewolf, but he knew it wouldn't last. He knew in his heart that there was only one. He started to unbutton her top when she stopped him.
"We can't." She stopped the kiss and looked up at him, looking for air.
"I know." Angel put his head down and kissed her neck. Slowly moving down to the top of her breasts, he looked up at her and stopped again. "Tired?"
"Yeah." She said, removing her legs from under him and onto the floor. She got up and started to walk towards her bedroom. Angel got up and started to get the pillow and blanket out from behind the couch when Cordelia appeared in her doorway again. "Coming?"